Exhaustion
by SamuraiGirl88
Summary: Hitsugaya has taken on so much and he's starting to feel the effects. Lukily someone is there to show him he does so much already. One-Shot Hitsukarin


A/N: I got up this morning at 6AM expecting to go to Sixth form (College) only to be notified that school wasn't open just before leaving home, so with time to kill I thought I'd buckle down for a writing session so here is another attempt at hitsukarin. Sorry it will start out slowly but I'll try and promise it will have a good middle and end. So with out further adieu:

It was an unseasonably warm for an autumn night in soul society, however it was hard to tell when the seasons rolled in since their was barley any sign of change to the scenery of the other world.

And due to the warm pressure that filtered through the air one Hitsugaya Toshiro had taken refuge in the confines of the 10th Division office doing what he usually did when not on missions: paperwork.

"_It never seems to end…" _he though casting a sultry glance at the stack beside him. Even with his latest growth spur it towered a good 2 inches over him, taller then both he and Matsumoto.

He looked at the clock that hung on the wall just as it ticked past 1:35 AM.

"_Where in Kami's name is she? She was supposed to be here 5 hours ago! _

He stood and walked over to the small cage on a table tucked in the corner, upon it was a cage containing 2 Hell butterflies. Opening it he took one out and held it in his hands.

"This is a request that Matsumoto Fukutaicho make her way to the 10th division immediately or all her liquor shall be given to the 8th Division captain"

He sent the butterfly on its way and it flittered out the window. Deciding that he was well past the need for tea he went to pour himself a strong cup of coffee, he figured that Matsumoto would come running once he threatened her liquor stash. However he was sadly mistaken, when the butterfly returned as he poured his second cup of coffee.

"_HEY! TAICHOUUUUU!!!!!" _shrieked the voice that emanated from the tiny creature. The sudden noise caused Toushiro to spill the coffee on to his hands scolding them "KESU!!" He swore loudly shaking his left hand to cool it. He glared at the butterfly as it continued to relay its message.

"_I'm out with some of the fukutaicho's! Hey! RENJI STAY AWAY FROM MY CUP! GET YOUR OWN!! I know I was suppose to come aaaaaaaaaaaages ago to help you, but I swear I'm gonna help tomorr-AHHH! Oh Taicho you should have just seen! Hisagi fell over Iba and fell on Isane! HAHA it looked like they were making out!" she giggled more_

Hitsugaya sighed for the thousandth time that day.

"_Oh and Taicho! I know you won't get rid of ALLL my sake, you wanna know why? I got loads hidden round the 10__th__ division, hehe you can't find it all! See you in the morning Taicho! Bye bye now!" _The message terminated there.

Hitsugaya suppressed the anger that was trying to pry open his calm exterior. He took a deep breath and began picking up the shards of the broken cup that lay on the floor, flinching as the soar skin contacted on the sharp fragments and tossed them in the bin.

"Having fun are we?"

Turning he saw the familiar figure of Kurosaki Karin leaning on the door frame panel.

"Does it look like I'm enjoying myself?

Karin gave an amused laugh at her boyfriend. Typical of the 10th Division taicho to answer a question with another.

"I heard you swear from the 11th Division courtyard, I didn't know you knew such colourful language".

"Yeah my vocabulary is as colourful as a damn rainbow."

"Was that sarcasm?"

"Call it whatever you want" was his aloof replays he irritably flexed his burned hand. Karin noticed and moved forward, gently touching his hand.

He answered her unasked question "I was making Coffee when Matsumoto replied to a summons".

Karin looked up from studying his hand. "Yeah I heard them barrel in to the 11th division demanding Ikkaku and Yumichika join them; I would have slugged them if Kenpachi hadn't demanded they quiet down since Yachiru was asleep".

Toshiro chuckled humourlessly "at least someone is getting some sleep".

Karin took his right and uninjured hand and led him to his seat behind the desk. Going in to the cabinet next to the couch she took a first aid kit. She sat on the only clear portion of the desk and began to wrap his left hand in gauze. He sat back in his chair and closed his eyes until she had finished.

"I'm not so good with healing kido, but this should get you through to the morning until Unohana taicho or Isane-san can take a look".

He looked at her work and made sure the gauze was comfy. "Thanks" was his reply as he stared forlornly at the 6ft pile of paperwork, which contested the pile he already had on his desk.

"What the heck is that?" she asked pointing at the pile.

"That's 3 years worth of backlog paperwork from the 5th; I volunteered to help do it."

"WHAT? Are you insane!? You're already helping out Hisagi with the 9th division paperwork!" she shouted, causing Toshiro to tense again.

"It needs to be done, plus Hisagi has had a hard time with the defection of Tousen…"

She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose "and what about Matsumoto?"

"She hasn't been the same since that bastard Ichimaru left. They've both had it rough, and since Hinamori is in no fit state to even manage the 5th division, I've taken it on"

Karin started to shake with anger and unlike Hitsugaya; she wasn't one to try to suppress it. "If you weren't hurt I'd hit you myself! Your taking on more then you can handle! You sho-"she stopped mid sentence, Toshiro's head was beginning to lull and his eyes were closing. She tapped his shoulder and he looked up. The dark rings under his eyes gave away that he had not been sleeping well, or if he had been sleeping at all. He looked as if he hadn't had a decent meal in a while and now with his hurt hand it would make his job all the harder to complete.

"Toushiro, when was the last time you had a decent night sleep?"

It took him a moment to think "about 3 days ago when we came back from Karakura after a mission"

"So you haven't slept in 3 days?!"

"… I guess not"

_This isn't like him" _Karin mused_ "he usually puts up a fight when we play argue, but now he's barley responding at all._

"Let's go sit on the couch" she asked

Without arguing he complied and sat on the couch, opening his arms and allowing Karin the snuggle in to his chest, he rested his head on her shoulder and close his eyes.

"You can't keep going like this Shiro, your wearing yourself out"

"Don't call me Shiro" he irritably stated "It's not like I have a choice. We're 3 taicho's down, we don't have a leader for the 3rd or 9th divisions and the 5 doesn't even have either a taicho or a fukutaicho. I know Kira and Hisagi would make perfect replacements, but until then they don't command as much authority. Someone needs to help them".

"I know how much strain everyone is under. But you can't take it all on your shoulder Toushiro. Don't forget you haven't had the easiest of times these past few years."

"Getting sentimental Karin, it's not like you" he smirked faintly

"Shut up" she turned around to look at him "Now I don't care what your excuse is, you're going to lie down and sleep for a couple of hours or I swear that I'll get Unohana to take you to the 4th division by force so you can rest their."

The exhausted white Haired Shinigami looked at his girlfriend through half open eyes "So there's no way of getting out of this?"

She got up and began walking towards the butterfly cage.

"Ok! Ok! I'll sleep here. But only if you stay with me"

Karin looked at him and smiled "resorting to bribery? I didn't think you had it in you"

He smiled genuinely "It's not considered bribery if you want to do it to".

She faked a sigh "fine I guess I'll have to stay then"

Karin took Ryoukuma, Her zanpukto from her side and rested it on the stand next to Hyorinmaru. And returned to Toshiro's arms as they settled down to sleep.

"I'm going to have to stop you having this effect over me "he commented as sleep was swift to take him.

"You love it really Shiro" as she cuddled closer to him

"Don't call me Shi…." His words drifted off as he surrendered to his dreams.

Karin followed not long after.

Hey, feedback is greatly appreciated if you could leave some please. This One-shot is 1501 words long. I was suppose to be doing my A level Coursework on Othello and it was suppose to be 1500 words long so if I buckle down I should be able to finish it off tonight, thanks for reading folks.

Oh and if you like video games (I'm a nut for them) then I suggest you check out Mirror's Edge. It has an amazing storyline and I can't wait for it to be released this month.

SG88


End file.
